Music-leaf holder and turner.



Patented 4July 4, |899.

T. F. MUSS.

MUSIC LEAF HOLDER AND TURNER.

(Application ledrFeb. 4. 1899.;

2 Sheets-Sheet I.

@No Model.)

L Monia/6 No. 628,4". Patented luly 4, |899.

. T. F. MUSS.

vMUSHI LEAF HOLDER AND TURNERA (Application filed Feb. 4, 1899,)

2 SheetsSheet 27.

=No Modal.)

' y' 7113 wm/WM5 me Norms PETERS co. PNQTLMH'HQ., wAsmNsToN. o. c.

' UNITED STATES "PATENT OEEICE.

THOMAS F. MOSS, OF LA GROSSE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO XV. B. TSOHARNER,

OF SAME PLACE. y

NIUSlC-'LEAF HOLDER AND TURNER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 628,411, dated July 4, 1899.

Application led February 4, 1899. Serial No. 704,568. (No model.) I

To @ZZ whom, t may concern;

Be it known that I, THOMAS F. Moss, a citizen of the United States, residing at La Crosse, in the county of La Crosse and State of Wiscousin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Music-Leaf Holders and Turners; and l do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to improvements in music-leaf holders and turners; and its object is to provide a simple, effective, and comparatively inexpensive attachment of this character for pianos, organs, and musicstands by which a music-book may be held securelyT in position and the leaves thereof containing the composition to be played automatically turned as desired upon the operator simply depressing` a releasing-key.

The invention also has for its object to provide a music-leaf holder and turner embodyin g leaf-turnin g arms constructed and mounted in an improved manner to insure the effective operation of the same, combined with means for positively releasing one arm only at a time, an improved spring-actuated presserframe for holding the covers and unused leaves of the book in place, and a simple, durable, and convenient construction of casing and base-plate in and upon which the various operative parts of the apparatus are inclosed and mounted.

Vth the accomplishment of these and other minor ends in view the invention consists of certain novel features of construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, which will be hereinafter more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a View in front elevation of a music-leaf holder and turner embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the base-plate and operating mechanism removed from the casing. Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view of the baseplate. Fig. et is a similar view of the bookback-clamping device. Fig. 5 is alohgitudinal section of the same and a portion of the back or rest. Fig. 6 is a cross-section on the irregular line 6 6 of Fig. l. Fig. 7 is a detail perspective view of a portion of the back or rest, showing one of the slotted plates thereon. Fig. S is a perspective view of the pivoted presser-frame which clamps the covers Fig. 9 is an inverted perspective view of a leaf-turning arm and connections on an enlarged scale. Fig. l0 is a detail view of the releasing-key and connections, illustrating the operation thereof.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, wherein like reference-letters designate corresponding parts throughout the several Views, A represents a back or rest of suitable form and construction which serves as a support for the music-book or sheets of music and which is provided near its lower end with a central transverse slot I) and upon the front face of its base portion A with attaching-plates c, formed with keyhole-slots for a purpose presently described. Arranged upon the front of this rest is a clamping device which engages the back of the book and holds the same against lateral movement, and this device comprises in its construction a spring-metal base-plate d, seated in the slot and provided with attaching-ears d', connected by screws or other fastening means to the rest. The base-plate is provided at the center with side flanges d2, in which are journaled two short shafts or spindles e and c', carrying a pair of clamping-jaws f and f, said jaws being bifurcated at their inner ends to form arms, which are provided with intermeshing toothed segments g and g', whereby they are connected to move in unison. The outer ends of the jaws are provided with beveled faces g2, whose outer edges are adapted to engage by frictional contact with right-angular locking projections d3, formed at the ends of the spring base-plate and by which they are held open when not in use and whose inner edges are serrated to hold the book securely against movement. Each locking projection is provided with a finger-piece d4, by which it may be forced downwardly to release the jaw, and a spring g3, engaging the shaft e', is provided of the book and the leaves that are not in use.

to automatically close the jaws to clamp the book when released by the said locking projections. Any desired number of these backclamping devices may be employed. A casing [-I, containing the operating mechanism proper,is detachably secured to the base A' of the rest by screws 7L projecting from the back thereof and whose heads engage the keyhole-slots in the plates c on said base. ro This casing is open at the front and provided in its top with slots or notches L, through which the clamping-arms of the spring-actuated presser-frame,hereinafter described, project. Secured to the bottom of the casing and projecting outwardly therefrom at the center is a base-plate I, provided at or near the ends thereof with pivot lugs or projections t', and at the rear of its central portion with a short post z" and a stop i2, arranged immediately in 2o front of the same.4 Arranged between this post and stopis a vertically-disposed curved plate-spring which is attachedto the former and held against outward movement by the latten and the free ends of this spring eX- 2 5 tend forward in close proximity to the end y bearing-lugs. The pres'ser-frameis composed of a pair of vertical clamping-arms 7c, which are connected to move in unison by a crossbar Z and project upwardly through the slots or notches L/ in the casing to press or clamp the covers and unused leaves of a book against the back or rest A, and thus hold the same in position against outward movement. The frame is provided with trunnions m, journaled in the pivot-lugs t', so that it may be moved toward and from the rest to engage or release the book, and the arms thereof are curved rearwardly at their lower ends and bent inward to form toes or projections m, against which the free curved ends of the plate-spring bear to press the upper ends of the arms against the rest or leaves of a book supported thereby. In securing a book by the parts thus far described the presser-frame is iirst moved back from the rest and the book opened at the desired place and the leaves containing` the composition to be played left loose. The back of the book is then placed against the center of the rest and the jaws of 5o the clamping device released to engage the same, the presser-frame allowed to be forced back by the plate-spring to bear upon the unused leaves of the book to hold said leaves and the cover in place, and the loose leaves above mentioned connected with the leafturning arms, which will now be described. Vhen thisis done, the book will be supported in position and held open, and the performer may operate the arms to turn the looseleaves as desired.

employed in the present instance, may be made of wood or metal and are mounted at their inner ends to swing laterally upon a pivot-post d3, extending up from the central forwardly-projecting portion of the baseplate. The said inner ends of the arms are The leaf-turning arms H, of which four are formed with cups or sockets n, which are ar'- ranged to face downwardly to prevent the entrance of dirt and dust thereinto. Inclcsed in the cup or socket of each arm is a coiled spring 0, one end of which is rigidly attached to tne side wall of the cup and the other end thereof removably iitted in an opening in the pivot-post, so that when the arm is swung to the right the spring will be compressed and serve by its own resiliency in expanding to swing the arm in the reverse direction. The outer free end of each arm is enlarged to provide la bearing portion p and formed on vopposite sides with stops p", and pivoted at their inner ends to said bearing portion are a pair of spring-metal gripping-fingers g, which are normally held in a vertical position by said stops, but may be turned down to a horizontal position, as shown in Fig. 2. The outer ends of these iingers are bent inwardly and outwardly to admit and firmly grip the outer side marginal edge of the leaf of a book between them, so that the leaf will be held in position thereby and will be turned when the arm is operated.

The base-plate is formed at its right-hand end with an extension r, carrying a bearingboss s, to which is pivoted a dog t, adapted to hold the arms in proper position for turning the leaves. This dog is provided with a key or finger-piece t', by which it may be depressed to release the outermost arm and allow it to be swung to the left by its coiled spring to expose the page containing the music next to be played. Arranged behind this dog is a detent-spring it, securedat its'rear end and having its front end bearing against the inner end of the dog to hold the latter in locking position and provided with an upturned lip 'u'. This lip stands below the plane of the locking lip or projection 252 of the dog, and the space between them is sufficient to admit only one arm at a time, the outermost arm being thus held by the dog, While the other arms are retained behind the lip of the spring. ''V hen the key t is depressed by the operator or performer, the locking-lip of the dog is lowered and the outermost leafturning arm released; but at the same time the inner end of the dog is raised and caused to bear against the front end of the spring, which is likewise raised and serves as a stop to prevent the other arms from moving forward. Vhen the dog and spring assume their normal positions, however, the next arm may move past the lip of the spring to take the place of the released arm in a manner that will be readily understood. Simple and effective mechanism is thus provided to insure the release of one arm only at a time.

It will be understood, of course, that the invention may be used for turning theleaves of sheet-music and the leaves of books other than music-books, and hence is not limited for use solely in connection with the latter.

It will also be understood that changes in the form, proportion, and minor details of con- IOO IOS

IIO

struction may be made within the scope (of the invention without departing from the y spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages thereof.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is- 1. In a leaf holder and turner, the combination, with a series of pivoted, spring-actuated leaf-turning arms, of a detent and releasing device therefor' comprising a pivoted dog having an operating-key at its outer end, and a detent-spring arranged behind the dog and secured at its rear end and provided at its free end with a lip located below the plane of the locking-lip of the dog, a space of sufcient size to receive only one leaf-turning arm at a time being formed between said lips and the said free end of the spring being arranged to be uponthe upper edge of the inner end of the dog, substantially as described.

2. In a leaf holder and turner, the combination of a base-plate, a series of spring-actuated leaf-turning arms pivotally mounted thereon and provided with gripping-fingers, a detent and releasing device for holding and releasing one arm at a time, a plate-spring secured centrally to the rear portion of the baseplate and having forwardly-curved ends, and a presser-frame for holding the covers and unused leaves of a book provided with trunnions pivotally mounted on the base-plate and a pair of clamping-arms connected by a cross-bar to move in unison and formed wtih toes or projections at their lower ends against which the said free en ds of the spring are arran'ged to bear, substantially asdescribed.

3. In a leaf holder and turner, the combination of a back or rest, a series of pivoted, spring-actuated leaf-turning arms, a detent and releasing device for holding and releasing one arm at a time, a spring actuated presser-frame for clamping the covers and unused leaves of a book, and a book-backi clamping device secured to the rest and comprising'a spring-metal base-plate formed with locking projections at its ends, la pair of jaws pivoted thereto and adapted to be -held open by said locking projections and provided with intermeshing toothed segments at their inner ends whereby they are connected to move in unison, and a spring for automatically closing the jaws when released from said locking projections, substantially as described.

4E. A leaf holding and turning device, comprising a back or rest, a casing secured thereto and open at its front end and provided in its top with slots or notches, a base -plate fixed to the bottom of the casing and provided with a pivot-post at the front thereof, a plate-spring secured centrally to the rear of the base-plate and having forwardly-curved ends, a presser frame having trunnions mounted in the base-plate and clamping-arms projecting through the slots or notches in the casing, saidv arms being provided at their lower ends with toes or projections adapted to be pressed outwardly by the ends of the spring, a series of leaf-turning arms pivotally mounted at their inner ends upon 'the post and provided at said inner ends with cups or sockets and springs therein to swing the arms in one direction, pivoted gripping-fingersA upon the outer end of each arm, and a detent and 'releasing device also mounted on the base-plate for holding the arms against the tension of their springs and releasing one arm at a time, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS F. MOSS. Vitnesses:

WALTER C. WINTER, RAY S. REID. 

